


The Prince and the Owl

by hellocecily



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bokutowl, I had way too much fun writing Owl!Bokuto, M/M, Owls, Prince Bokuto and Prince Akaashi, The Owl Prince, The Prince and the Owl, This is straight up nonsense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-23 20:06:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6128608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellocecily/pseuds/hellocecily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Bokuto disappears and Akaashi goes on an adventure to find him, but finds a really fluffy, persistent great-horned owl instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Prince and the Owl

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I saw fan art of Akaashi kissing an owl and it turning into Bokuto on tumblr and it was in that moment where I realized... I HAD TO WRITE A FIC ABOUT IT. 
> 
> Here is the link to the fan art to which it is based off of: http://yaboybokuto.tumblr.com/post/100933821523/were-still-doin-that-bokuaka-week-i-hope-okay

When Akaashi Keiji heard news of the disappearance of the neighbouring kingdom’s Prince Bokuto Koutarou, you could say he wasn’t much too surprised. Bokuto is the kind of person to either, a) go for a walk in the woods and get lost, or b) simply be out having too much fun that he forgot to come home. Therefore, Keiji wrote it off, simply expecting to hear of Bokuto’s return in a day or two.

            However, days turned into weeks, and it has nearly been a month of Bokuto’s disappearance. Keiji was no longer nonchalant about his dear friend’s whereabouts. Keiji was, mildly at best, panicking. When Keiji heard the search for Prince Bokuto has taken a standstill, he was enraged. So, as always, Keiji took matters into his own hands. In the dead of the night, he packed up his things, mounted his white horse, and rode off into the woods. His search turned from day to night, and he was at his wits end.

            After tying his horse to a tree, Keiji collapses onto the ground and whimpers, his dirty fingers pulling at his wind-tousled hair. He is sure that his own kingdom is frantically searching for him now, but he couldn’t care less. He can’t be a proper prince without Bokuto. He can’t do anything without Bokuto.

            “Where on earth could you be, you big idiot…” Keiji speaks out loud to no one in particular, his eyes prickling with tears that were non-existent until now.

            Bokuto Koutarou and Akaashi Keiji have been friends for as long as they could remember. As neighbouring kingdoms, their mothers were friends before they were born. Bokuto was born first, and after seeing how adorable Bokuto was (as a baby) Keiji’s mother became pregnant around a year later. Keiji's and Bokuto’s mothers constantly met up for Sunday tea, and left Bokuto and Keiji off to play with each other. Well, normally it went a little like this: Bokuto wanted to do something extreme and dangerous, like climbing trees, or exploring the fields… and Keiji… well, he learned of his weakness early on. His weakness was Bokuto, with his wide, golden eyes and the way his lips would turn into a pout when Keiji was hesitant about these adventures. So, most of the time, Keiji humoured him.

            _“Akaashi!” Bokuto screeched, running down the hallway to meet Keiji halfway, throwing his arms excitedly around his shoulders._

_“Hi, Bokuto-san,” Akaashi said, his arms reaching around Bokuto to return the hug. It was always like this, but Keiji didn’t mind Bokuto’s touchy personality. Keiji’s parents were rather cold, so it was nice to feel some warmth from time to time._

_“Now, Koutarou, don’t get Keiji into trouble, okay?” Bokuto’s mom warned, and Bokuto rolled his eyes towards Keiji._

_“Yeah, yeah,” Bokuto said, reaching for Keiji’s hand._

_“Come on, Akaashi! Let’s go swimming! It’s summer and it’s warm, which means we have to swim? Yeah? Hurry!”_

_“Bokuto-san, you’re running too fast.”_

_“You’re running too slow, ‘kaashi!”_

            Keiji brings his hands to his eyes and wipes away his tears. With a nod of sudden determination, Keiji stands and pulls off his sleeping arrangements from his horse. He is going to do whatever it takes to find Bokuto. Bokuto is… his best friend. And Keiji knows that he can’t be the ideal prince without his best friend at his right-hand side.

            After making a small meal, and grooming his horse, Keiji stops kindling the fire and settles into his sleeping cot, watching as the stars brighten the sky with each dying flicker to his fire.

            Keiji shuts his eyes, with hopes to dream of Bokuto, when a screeching _“hoo-hooooooot!”_ echoes throughout the forest. The hooting becomes relentless, and Keiji groans, bringing his palms to cup his ears. When Keiji realises that nothing can drown out the sound of the owl’s cries, he sits up and decides to put an end to it himself. Walking a little ways into the forest, Keiji follows the sound of the owl’s hoots. The moon and the stars are exceptionally bright now, illuminating the trees and the forest pathway. The hooting and screeching is louder now, and sure enough, perched on a low-branch, is a beautiful grey and black great-horned owl. Keiji steps on a twig, and the crisp snap of the wood causes the owl to turn its head towards Keiji.

            The golden eyes of the owl stop Keiji in his tracks. They are bright beneath the moonlight, and Keiji feels a wave of nostalgia engulf him. Instead of putting an end to the owl’s annoying hoots, Keiji stands still, and stares at the large owl, who was now staring back at him. It opens its beak and releases a smaller, timid “ _hoo-hoo”_ and blinks a few times.

            Keiji lets his eyes wander towards the owl’s wing, and he gasps. He notices the blood now, wet and caking its ashen-grey feathers with red.

            “You’re hurt…” Keiji whispers.

            _“Hooooooooooot.”_

Keiji knows that he doesn’t have time to nurse an injured owl. He has other things on his plate, of course, but… he takes a step forward. He expects the owl to simply fly away, but it just blinks back at him, side-stepping along the branch in an excited manner.

            Perhaps it is because this great-horned owl reminds Keiji a lot of Koutarou. But regardless, Keiji takes the final step towards the low branch, and warily brings his bare arm to the owl’s talons. The owl, without hesitating, takes its feet off the branch and perches itself upon Keiji’s arm, gleefully hooting and fluffing up its feathers. Keiji brings his fingers to the space underneath the owl’s head, giving it a little scratch. The owl hums, and closes its eyes, releasing small little squeaks. Keiji smiles, and begins the walk back towards his makeshift camp.

            Keiji sets the owl down on his pillow, and brings the fire back to life. He quickly rummages through his bag, pulling out gauzes and a cloth-wrap for injuries. The owl is curled up on his pillow, its bright eyes following Keiji’s every move. Keiji sits down in front of it, and reaches for its wing. The owl fluffs up and squawks, but Keiji ignores it and gently grabs its wing.

            _“Hoo-hooot!”_

“Hush. You’re hurt. I’m helping you.”

            _“Hoooooooooooooot!”_

            “You are just going to have to deal with it.”

            _“Hoo.”_

“Don’t give me that, you.”

            Keiji finishes wrapping the owl’s wing, and gives it a little pat on the head. The owl hums, closing its eyes and cuddling close to Keiji’s side.

            “No, no, you have to go now. Go back into the trees,” Keiji says, giving the owl a little push out of his bed.

            _“Hoot!”_

“Shoo.”

            The owl screeches.

            “I am on a very important mission, Owl-san.”

_“Hoo?”_

“Yes. I’m looking for a dear friend of mine.”

            _“Hoot-hoo.”_

“I have no idea how to speak owl.”

            The owl huffs and opens its beak and makes a little puffing sound.

            “Well, I’m going to bed. I need to be on the run tomorrow, so… you can stay I guess. But only for tonight. Okay?”

            _“Hoo!”_

“I still have no idea what you’re saying. I’m going to bed now.”

            Keiji gently moves the owl away from his sleeping cot, and slides beneath the blanket. Keiji turns away from the owl, and shuts his eyes. He knows the owl will be gone in the morning anyways.

            _“Hoot-hoot!”_

“You’re being noisy, Owl-san. I’m trying to sleep.”

            _“HOOT!”_

Keiji turns around and the owl is staring down at him, his eyes round and rather intimidating.

            “What?”

            _“Hoo…”_ The owl hums, quietly this time.

            “Are you cold?”

            _“Hoo~!”_

“Okay, fine,” Keiji says, sitting up and making a smaller little circle in his blanket for the owl to nest in. “Just for tonight, okay? You have to leave first thing in the morning.”

            “ _Hoo hoo.”_ The owl sidles its way into its makeshift bed and puffs up its wings and curls into itself. Keiji smiles, and brings a hand to give the owl another small scratch. The owl shudders and happily squawks.

            “You remind me a lot of my friend,” Keiji whispers. The owl opens one eye.

            “You look a lot like him too… it’s weird.”

            _“Hoo.”_

            “Goodnight, Owl-san.”

            _“Hoot~”_

Keiji falls asleep with a smile on his face for the first time in weeks.

 

~

 

            “Okay, I have to go now… Owl-san… so…”

            The great-horned owl stares up at him, the morning sun illuminating its already-bright golden eyes even further.

            Keiji sighs, realising that the owl isn’t going to listen.

            “You can’t come with me,” Keiji says, and the owl vividly deflates.

            _“Hoo...”_

Keiji stares down at the owl, which is still curled in Keiji’s blankets. Keiji sighs, and puts his hands on his hips as he looks into the blue sky.

            “Okay, fine,” Keiji groans, “you can come along. But only until your wing is better, okay?”

            The owl vividly brightens and, _“HOOOOOOOOOOT!”_ It hops out of its blanket nest and begins bouncing around Keiji’s camp.

            Keiji smiles, and packs up the rest of his things and clips his rucksack onto his horse. Keiji looks down at the owl, which is equally looking up at him.

            “How am I going to… how is this going to work?” Keiji questions out loud, looking at the owl to his horse.

            “I mean... I guess you curl up in front of me?”

            _“Hoo~”_

Keiji lets out a tiny laugh.

            Keiji picks up the great-horned owl and gently places it just in front of the saddle. The horse grunts in irritation as the owl’s talons curl into its hair. Keiji quickly hops on his horse, and reaches for the reigns. He feels the owl climb its way on the front of the saddle, nestling itself into Keiji’s chest. Keiji can’t help but smile fondly down at the fluffy owl.

            It really reminds him a lot of Bokuto-san.

 

            _“Akaashi!”_

_“Yes, Bokuto-san?”_

_“I’m bored.”_

_“That’s nice, Bokuto-san.”_

_“Akaaaaaaashi!”_

_Keiji turned towards Bokuto, who is lying upside down on his bed. Keiji sighed and closed his book._

_“What do you want to do, Bokuto-san?”_

_Bokuto sits up, his legs crossed underneath him. His smile is suspicious, and Keiji narrowed his eyes at him._

_“Akaashi, you are always so serious. You can’t be a prince if you serious all the time!”_

_“I think you have that backwards, Bokuto-san. You need to be serious to be a prince.”_

_Bokuto rolled his eyes. “You also have to be brave, warm, and funny!”_

_“Hmm.”_

_Bokuto laughed. “You’re always so stern and cold, Akaashi! Loosen up a little, you’re only twelve!”_

_“You’re not much older than me, Bokuto-san,” Keiji said, rolling his eyes now. Bokuto always tries to treat Keiji likes he’s five years younger than him, rather than just a year and a few months._

_“That is no way to speak to your elder, Akaashi! I know what we are going to do today!”_

_“Hmm?”_

_“I’m going to teach you how to be warm and funny!”_

_“Bokuto-san, you already give me enough of your warmth. I do not need anymore.” Keiji said without thinking much, and is met with a blushing Bokuto._

_“Akaashi! You are so blunt!” Bokuto cried, placing his hands over his cheeks._

_“A good quality of a prince is to be honest, Bokuto-san,” Keiji stated, a tiny smirk pulling at his lips. He loves riling up Koutarou. Sometimes it even gets him so flustered that he is put at a loss for words._

_“Well, they can’t be too honest… sometimes it throws people off,” Bokuto whispered, his cheeks still dusted in pink. Keiji fondly smiled at his friend._

_“Okay, Bokuto-san.”_

_“Eh?”_

_“Teach me how to be funny. And warm.” Keiji said, and Bokuto bounded up from the bed and reached for Keiji’s hands._

_“I’ll do my best!”_

_Bokuto’s hands are warm, as always._

Keiji huffs at the memory, wondering why all these emotions and random memories for Bokuto were surfacing now. He shakes off the tight feeling around his heart, and with a flick of the reigns, and holding the great-horned owl close to his chest, he rides on.

_~_

Keiji decides to go hunting, and snares himself a rabbit. When he returns to his camp, the great-horned owl hoots excitedly over the rabbit dangling from Keiji’s hand.

            “Are you hungry?” Keiji asks the owl, which nods his head up and down in return. Keiji is somehow sure this owl understands what he is saying, but he doesn’t think much of it.

            Keiji cooks the rabbit over the fire. The owl besides him hoots in anticipation for the meal, and Keiji can’t help but roll his eyes. He brings his hand and gently pats the owl on the top of its head.

            Today was another unsuccessful day in looking for Bokuto. Keiji has gone through all the special spots that he and Bokuto discovered throughout their childhood. The hidden ravine, the tree that was shaped like a butt, the cave with the sparkly rocks, and lastly, the field with the tall grass that was easy to get lost in. If anyone can find Bokuto, it’s Keiji. Which is why he is rather disgruntled over the fact that he hasn’t been able to find his dearest friend yet. The idea of Bokuto being…

            Bokuto is fine. Wherever he is, he is fine. Warm, and safe. That’s all Keiji can imagine to keep himself going.

            _“Hoot!”_

            The owl beside him shakes Keiji free from his dark thoughts. Keiji smiles down at it and gives it another soft scratch. They eat their meal in silence; the owl happily humming after each bite Keiji offers it.

            After cleaning up, and allowing the fire to die out, Keiji sets up his sleeping area once more, sliding under the blankets.

            _“Hoo…”_

Keiji sighs and turns towards the owl.

            “Are you going to keep following me around? I am not your mother, you know.”

            _“Hoo…hoo…”_ The owl’s eyes don’t have the same gleam as it did earlier. Keiji frowns.

            “Surely you have a home?”

            The owl stares at Keiji.

            “You really remind me of my friend, Owl-san.”

            _“Hoooooot!”_

“You even sound like him too… loud and… always screeching things at me.”

            _“Hoo.”_

            Keiji laughs, and as quickly as it came, it dies out.

            “I miss him. He’s been gone for so long… I’m very worried. That’s why I’m out here, Owl-san. I’m trying to find him.”

            _“Hoo! Hoo! HOO!”_

“I’m trying the best I can… I went to all the places he and I used to play at as kids. I could have sworn I’d find him… I have no leads for tomorrow. I don’t know what I’m going to do…” Keiji doesn’t realise he’s crying until now. He embarrassedly swipes away his tears.

            _“Hoo...”_ The owl shuffles close to him, and fluffs up, warming up Keiji’s bare arm with its feathers.

            Keiji laughs through his tears. “You really do remind me of him, Owl-san. Maybe I should call you that until I find him… Koutarou. Do you like that name?”

            The owl’s eyes widen in shock, releasing a small squawk.

            “Koutarou is a lovely name. That’s his name, actually. It’s weird saying it out loud,” Keiji says, feeling his neck and cheeks heat up.

            _“Hoot~”_ It nestles even closer into Keiji side.

            “We will find him, Koutarou. I’ll find him. I’ll do everything I can to get him back.” Keiji says, his determination back and stronger than ever. Keiji creates a blanket nest for Koutarou once again, and slides down into his blanket.

            “Goodnight, Koutarou,” Keiji whispers.

            The owl gently hoots in response.

 

            _Keiji is woken up to the sound of thumping on his window. Groggily, Keiji sat up from his bed and made his way to the window. Pulling his velvet curtains open, Keiji peers down and his eyes widen when he sees Bokuto looking up at him._

_Keiji opens his window, his mouth agape. “Bokuto-san! What are you doing here? It’s nearly three in the morning! You live an hour away, how-.”_

_“Keiji.”_

_Keiji’s eyes widen. Bokuto never says his first name._

_“Bokuto-san?”_

_“Can I come up? Please.”_

_“O-okay,” Keiji said. “Let me meet you downstairs.”_

_Bokuto just nodded._

_Keiji dashed out of his room, down the staircase, and through the hall, his heart beating wildly._

_He opened the door to the garden, and ran out towards where Bokuto was standing. To Keiji’s horror, Bokuto has been crying._

_“Bokuto-san… is everything all right?”_

_Bokuto just shook his head, and immediately dove into Keiji’s embrace. Keiji knows that his pulse is acting much too wild for someone who should just be a friend. Keiji brought a hand up Bokuto’s back and tangled it in his loose hair._

_“Let’s go inside, Bokuto-san. It’s cold out here,” Keiji whispered, feeling Bokuto nod lethargically in the crook of his neck._

_Once back in Keiji’s room, Bokuto slumped himself on Keiji’s bed._

_Keiji sat beside him, nervously twiddling his fingers._

_“Thank you, Akaashi. I’m sorry for being a nuisance. I’m sure you have to be up early tomorrow,” Bokuto finally spoke, his voice small and deep, much different than what Keiji is used to._

_“You aren’t a nuisance, Bokuto-san. Can you tell me what’s wrong, though? Keiji asked._

_“We invited a royal family from another kingdom for dinner today… and I was supposed to talk to the princess and get her to… I don’t know,” Bokuto ran his hands through his relaxed hair, “like me or something? My father said it was because I was eighteen now. Which means I’m of age… or something.”_

_“Hmm.” Keiji hummed, not really enjoying the thought of Bokuto talking to another person for… romantic purposes._

_“But I don’t want to be… I don’t know… forced into some relationship? You know? I want to be with the person that I… well… fall for,” Bokuto sighed._

_Keiji just nodded._

_Without realising, both Bokuto and Keiji are lying down in Keiji’s bed, looking up at the decorative ceiling, thumbs brushing against one another softly, teasingly._

_“But anyways, I wasn’t as nice to her as I should have been, and my father and mother really let me have it… and they… well they said some things,” Bokuto’s voice is almost so quiet that Keiji has to strain himself to hear._

_Keiji turned towards Bokuto, cupping his cheek in his hand. “What did they say to you, Bokuto-san?”_

_“Well, I said some things to them first… which made them say certain things.” Bokuto continued to stare up at the ceiling, avoiding Keiji’s gaze._

_“You can tell me. I won’t be upset with you,” Keiji whispered. Keiji bravely brought his hand to Bokuto’s hair and tangled his fingers within it. Keiji secretly loves it when Bokuto lets his hair down._

_“I told them that I don’t need to marry any woman when I have you,” Bokuto confessed, turning his head towards Keiji longingly._

_“Oh. You said that?” Keiji asked, feeling his heart beating even harder than before._

_“Of course. You’re my best friend. My partner in crime. I don’t need anyone else,” Bokuto announced._

_“Mmm. And what were the things that your parents said after you told them that?” Keiji inquired, his knuckles gently skimming Bokuto’s temple. Bokuto closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Keiji’s cold hands against his face._

_“They said that eventually I’d have to give you up in order to become a proper King. And that made me angry… so here I am,” Bokuto said, releasing a small, nervous chuckle._

_“Well… you can’t be with me forever, Bokuto-san. Eventually you’ll fall in love with a nice woman…” Keiji sourly stated._

_Bokuto sits up abruptly, grabbing Keiji’s cold hand in his. “I won’t, Akaashi!”_

_Keiji rolled his eyes at Bokuto’s dramatics. “Okay, Bokuto-san.”_

_He has to look away from Bokuto now, as the golden eyes that Keiji loves so much has become much too intense for him to look at._

_“Keiji, I-.”_

_“Bokuto-san, you need sleep. You have bags under your eyes,” Keiji interrupted, trying his best to control the tone of his voice to hide his reaction to how nice his name sounds rolling off of Bokuto’s lips._

_“Oh, right. I can sleep here, right?” Bokuto asked, a small smile gracing his lips._

_“Of course,” Keiji said._

_The two older boys curled underneath Keiji’s sheets, a foot in between them. Keiji avoided the urge to curl into his best friend’s warm chest._

_“Goodnight, Akaashi,” Bokuto whispered, his voice heavy and laced with sleep. In a matter of minutes, Keiji can hear the sound of Bokuto’s soft snores._

_“Goodnight, Koutarou,” Keiji said, almost so softly that he couldn’t even hear his own voice._

            When Keiji wakes up the next morning, the great-horned owl is curled up into his neck, its feathers tickling his cheek. Keiji hums, and sits up, stretching his arms and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

            He finds himself wishing that he were braver the night that Bokuto asked to come up into his room. If he would have known that around two-months later, he’d be sleeping in the woods, frantically looking for his best friend, he would have at least held Bokuto’s hand underneath the warmth of his bed in his room.

            Or at least kiss him… Keiji knows that he shouldn’t want to kiss Bokuto… but he does, and that’s that.

            _“Hoo.”_

            Keiji turns and smiles down at the still-sleepy owl.

            “Good morning, Koutarou.”

            _“Hoot-hoot~”_

Overnight, Keiji finally made a decision. He is going to leave this camp without the owl. He simply can’t adopt an owl as a pet, regardless of how much it resembles the man he is in love with.

            After eating breakfast, cleaning up the camp, and grooming and feeding his horse, Keiji begins to pack up, somewhat dreading leaving his new owl friend behind.

            “Okay, Koutarou. It’s time for us to part ways,” Keiji says, looking down at the great-horned owl that has kept him company for the past few days.

            _“HOO!”_

“I’ve been way too coddling to you. But, I simply can’t take you in.”

            “ _HOOT HOOOOOT!”_ The owl is screeching now, bouncing up and down and flapping its wings.

            “I’m sorry, Koutarou. But I have to find my friend. And you need to find your family. I’m sure they miss you.”

            The owl hops towards Keiji’s feet and pecks at his toes.

            “Ow! Koutarou, that hurts!”

            _“HOOOOOOOOO!”_ The owl squawks, almost angrily.

            Keiji sighs and bends down to pick the owl up. Ignoring the owl’s angry screeches, Keiji walks a little ways into the forest.

            Keiji sets the owl upon another low branch, and the owl begins to flap its wings desperately, hooting over and over again.

            Keiji pats it on the head. “Goodbye,” Keiji whispers, and turns away.

            _“HOOT! HOOT!”_

Keiji turns around and sees the owl on the ground, hobbling its way towards Keiji.

            “No. You can’t come with me.”

            The owl is screaming now, and Keiji is taken aback. This owl is really, really attached to him for some reason. It’s truly all the more reason not to continue to lead it on. It’s a wild animal, after all. And Keiji knows that he wouldn’t be allowed to keep an owl as a pet.

            Keiji bends down and picks up the owl, stopping its tantrum.

            “I’m sorry, Koutarou, but you really can’t come with me. Please, don’t follow me again,” Keiji says, placing it back on the branch.

            Sure enough, in a matter of seconds, the owl is scrambling its way back towards Keiji. Keiji frowns and picks the owl up once again, and angrily sets it back down on the branch.

            “No!”

            _“Hoo…”_ The owl’s eyes are wide and frantic, and it burns to look into them. They are much too human-like, and their familiarity make Keiji’s head spin in sadness.

            “I have to go, Koutarou… I am sorry… but you are a wild animal and I am a prince that is in love with his best friend. I don’t have time to take care of you, when I have to take care someone else,” Keiji says, his voice shaking.

            _“Hoo! Hoo! HOOT!”_

“I have no idea what you are trying to tell me… but don’t follow me okay?” Keiji says, and the owl looks completely dejected, the horns deflated and its feathers a mangled mess.

            Keiji gives it a tiny smile, and leans in to kiss the tip of its beak.

            “Goodbye, Koutarou… I mean it…”

            The owl’s eyes are wide as Keiji turns and leaves it sitting upon the branch.

            This time, the owl doesn’t follow him, and Keiji cries.

            Keiji makes it back to his camp, the tears relentless. Why is he so upset over leaving an owl behind? He shouldn’t have named it Koutarou… saying goodbye made it all too real for him.

            He gives his horse a gentle pet, and sighs, already preparing himself for another day of no leads, and most likely, no Bokuto. His horse softly huffs and leans into Keiji’s touch.

            Keiji lifts himself onto his horse, and through his tears, begins to make his way down the path. He tugs on the reigns, and makes it about ten feet away from his camp when he hears it.

            “ ‘kasshi!”

            Keiji stops his horse, his eyes wide as he turns his head towards the direction where he left the owl.

            That… that sounded a little bit like…

            “Akaashi! Akaashi! Akaaaaashi!!!!"

            “Bokuto-san?”           

            “Akaashi!”

            Keiji nearly falls off his horse trying to get down. “Bokuto-san?” His feet barely move him towards the direction of the voice.

            Bursting through the bushes, and colliding with Akaashi’s body is a very wild and very naked Bokuto Koutarou.

            “Keiji! Oh, Keiji!” Bokuto cries out, his hands splayed across Keiji’s cheeks.

            “K-Koutarou?” Keiji breathes, placing his shaking hands over Bokuto’s.

            Bokuto is crying, his hair a matted mess, accompanied with a gaping cut across his forearm that is scabbing over.

            Through his tears, Bokuto is mumbling incoherent words that Keiji can’t seem to comprehend. His head is ringing in elation over the fact that he is holding his long, lost best friend in his arms.

            “I thought you were going to leave me! I was freaking out!” Keiji finally hears, and he gently pulls Bokuto away, placing his own hands upon Bokuto’s cheeks this time.

            “Bokuto-san, what are you talking about? Where were you? Where have you been? Why are you naked?” Keiji’s questions are endless, and Bokuto just cries and cries.

            “There is no way you are going to believe me,” Bokuto whimpers. The crisp morning air takes its toll and Bokuto shivers in Keiji’s arms.

            “Let’s get you in some of my clothes… and wrapped in a blanket.” Keiji flitters around quickly, unpacking his things and dressing Bokuto in his clothes (which are much too small for him), but Bokuto doesn’t seem to mind. Bokuto cocoons himself in Keiji’s blanket, and Keiji warms a pot of soup for Bokuto to eat.

            After eating and getting Bokuto into a calmed state, Keiji leans in and runs his hands through Bokuto’s hair, his eyes welling up for what feels like the hundredth time today.

            “What on earth happened to you, Bokuto-san?” Keiji says, his lip trembling.

            Bokuto brings his fingers to Keiji’s lips and skims them across the soft skin there.

            “Well… you know how my family has… that weird curse? That my grandpa used to tell us when we were kids? You know? How when he was around my age, he turned into an owl? And was missing for years until this woman found him in the forest and took him in? And one day she kissed him and he suddenly turned back into a man? True loves kiss and some mushy shit right?”

            Keiji nods. “It was like… the frog prince story…only instead of a frog it was an owl. Yes, Bokuto-san, I remember. What does this have to do with you?”

            “Akaashi! I turned into an owl!”

            “What?”

            “I was a great-horned owl! Well, more importantly, I was that great-horned owl that you found! That was me!”

            “What… Bokuto what are you talking about?” Keiji says, dropping the honorific.

            “The family curse is real!”

            “You’re telling me… that you were that owl… you turned into an owl…”

            “That’s exactly what I’m saying, Akaashi!”

            Keiji normally would wave Bokuto off as being… well, being his usual self, but as he looks down into Bokuto’s wide, golden eyes… he realises that perhaps Bokuto isn’t crazy.

            Bokuto’s wraps his arms around Keiji’s waist and pulls him into his lap.

            “Most importantly, Akaashi, you broke the curse! And a lot faster than I thought!”

            “What?”

            “You broke the curse! You kissed me!”

            “When did I…” Keiji’s eyes widen as he realises… he did kiss the owl on its beak when he left it behind.

            He looks down at Bokuto once more, and is met with a wide smile. Bokuto’s arms curl around Keiji tighter.

            “Do you know what that means?”

            Keiji just blushes and looks away.

            “You’re my true love! Isn’t that awesome?”

            “Bokuto-san, please…” Keiji whimpers, placing his hand over his eyes in embarrassment. If Bokuto was indeed that owl, he must have heard… oh.

            “No more of that! Call me by my given name, Keiji,” Bokuto says, the smugness much too present on his face. “You seemed to love saying it out loud to me when I was an owl!”

            Keiji leans into Bokuto’s warm chest and groans.

            “Say it!”

            Keiji leans out of Bokuto’s warmth and brings his hands to Bokuto’s cheeks.

            “Koutarou.”

            Bokuto grins and leans into Keiji’s touch.

            “I love you too, Keiji.”

            “I love you very much, Koutarou.”

            “I was a pretty cute owl, huh? You smiled a lot! And you were really nice. And warm. And funny!”

            Keiji’s blush deepens even further, if that were possible. “Yes, you were a very cute owl, Bokuto-san.”

            “I seriously thought you were going to leave me behind back there… Or at least leave me behind without kissing me. I was so scared, Keiji.” Bokuto says, a lot quieter now.

            Keiji frowns. “I am so sorry, Koutarou… I had no idea…”

            “It’s a good thing you kissed me! Or else I would probably have been an owl forever…”

            “I’m sure you would have somehow followed me.”

            Bokuto is smiling again. “You’re probably right.”

            “Mmm. I am very glad I found you, Bokuto-san.”

            “I am glad you found me, Akaashi.”

            Keiji curls back into Bokuto’s chest, enjoying the feeling of Bokuto’s hands running along his back.

            “Hey, Akaashi,” Bokuto asks, his voice soft.

            “Yes?”

            “Even though I’m not a cute owl… will you still kiss me?” Bokuto whispers, eyes wide as he stares up at Keiji.

            Keiji releases a breathy laugh and cups Bokuto’s face in his hands.

            “Yes, Koutarou. I will still kiss you,” Keiji says, and brings his lips down to meet with Bokuto’s, warmth exploding deep within his chest as Bokuto deepens the kiss.

            As adorable as Bokuto was as an owl, Keiji finds that he much rather prefers the feel of Bokuto’s rough lips.

           

           

 

 

           

           

**Author's Note:**

> help i'm in graduate school writing about owls and kisses


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